Feyna's Corner

I wanted to write whump, so I did. Sorry :P

BTW, this AmeCan misunderstanding was honestly the funniest thing ever xD LMAO. This is obviously platonic, though.

Also this may be rambly and just completely off. I haven’t edited this and I wrote it in one sitting while I was half asleep. Forgive me lol

Jack - Australia

xx.

Horse Whisperer

Ten seconds before Matthew fell, he was talking about how he was a horse whisperer. Alfred was going to remind him of that until the day he died. The ranch, which their parents used to own, was now Alfred’s, and although Matthew claimed to not be interested in it, he was very good at handling the horses. Alfred gave him that—Matthew was calm with animals, and animals were calm with him. Even the new stallion, which Matthew decided to name Kumajiro for reasons only he knew, liked Matthew. Or so they thought, two minutes ago.

Alfred was saying, “It’s crazy that Kuma’s so chill with you. He gave Jack a hard time.”

Jack, who helped train the horses, nearly got kicked in the head the other day. Kuma was temperamental. But he tolerated Matthew. And Matthew patted Kuma’s neck. “Well, that’s because he loves me, Al. I’m a horse-whisperer.” He waggled his eyes at Alfred. Davie, Alfred’s horse, grunted, almost mirroring Alfred’s exasperation.

And then a bunny shot out of a hole in the ground under Kuma’s feet, and Kuma went berserk. He reared back on both legs, making a terriifed, screeching noise. Matthew cried out, holding on for dear life. They grew up around horses, they knew how to control them. So Matthew didn’t fall.

Not until Kuma blasted off towards the fence at the speed of sound, ignoring every single one of Matthew’s clicks and rein-yanks. By the time Alfred could even compute a reaction, Kuma jumped over the fence, into the meadow, bucking like a maniac. Matthew dropped to the grass with a horrific thump as Kuma ran off into the fields.

“Shit.” Alfred urged Davie on. “Shit, shit, shit. Mattie!”

He could see Matthew struggling to sit up, and could even hear Matthew groan as he approached. Alfred leapt off Davie and sprinted to his brother. Lying in a heap on the ground, Matthew’s eyes fluttered open, slightly glassy, and he said, “You’re going to tease me about this forever, aren’t you?”

A sudden spurt of anxious laughter left Alfred’s chest. “H-h-yeah, you bet,” he stammered, bracing Matthew’s shoulders and rolling him in a sitting position.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” someone bellowed behind them. Jack. He came running up from the stables, shouting, “MATT? IS HE OKAY?”

“I’m fine,” Matthew said weakly.

“Yeah,” Alfred agreed. “I’ll bring him inside. Can you go get Kuma? I don’t want him running off onto the highway.”

Jack glanced between the two of them and swiftly nodded. “I’ll get the little bastard back, don’t you worry.” He mounted Davie and gave his flank a soft poke with his heels.

“He didn’t mean it,” Matthew called even as Jack and Davie darted off. “Tell Kuma I forgive him!!”

“Shut the fuck up, mate!” Alfred heard Jack yell before he ran too far out of earshot. Matthew sighed, his arms shaking as he balanced himself up on the grass.

“Can you stand? Are you hurt?”

“I’m a little banged up, but I’ll live.” Matthew shifted one of his knees, and rolled up his pant leg. Alfred watched him grimace as he undid one of his shoes. “I think I messed up my leg, though. I landed wrong.”

“Is there a ‘right’ way to fall off a galloping horse?”

“Fair point,” Matthew snorted. He rolled down his sock next, to reveal a horrible splash of purple bruising. His ankle was swollen to twice its size. They both knew what this meant. They’d grown up rough-housing outdoors. They both survived a plethora of bee stings, cuts, rashes, and abrasions. They knew what a broken bone looked like.

Alfred sighed. “You’re a terrible horse whisperer.”

“At least Kuma didn’t try to crack my skull open with his hoof.”

“Yeah,” Alfred drawled. “Silver lining.” He came up in front of Matthew and crouched. “All right. Hop on.”

“I don’t need you to carry me back,” Matthew grinned. “Just like, help me up, and I can manage.”

The house was like a Monopoly hotel piece in the distance, a tiny dot on the horizon. “Don’t be an idiot,” Alfred muttered. “Hop on, already. Unless you want to make your foot worse.”

Matthew sighed like he was about to continue arguing, but then he linked his arms around Alfred’s shoulders and let Alfred hoist him on his back. Thank god Alfred was strong enough for this.

“Just so you know, this is very embarrassing for me.” Matthew’s breath tickled Alfred’s neck. Alfred jerked, twisting his head.

“It’s not fun for me either! Now shut the hell up, if you keep tickling me I’m going to fucking drop you and break your other leg.”

Matthew had the gall to laugh. At least he angled his head away so he wasn’t making Alfred squirm. Alfred had always been the more ticklish of the two.

Matthew clicked his tongue and kneed Alfred’s side.

“DUDE!” Alfred roared, as Matthew crackled in more absurd laughter. “I’m not a fucking horse, Matt.”

“Click-click, Al, we’ve got places to b—AH!” Matthew broke off as Alfred burst into a run. As fast as he could go with his lanky idiot brother on his back. “Ow, ow—okay, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Ow, stop already!”

Alfred staggered to a halt in the middle of the field, breathing hard. “Sorry,” he laughed, rasping for air. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“You’re definitely more like a Quarter horse. Only good for short sprints.”

“Why don’t you just shut up,” Alfred muttered, but he was laughing anyway. Seriously, did Matthew hit his head or something?

For a while they were in a comfortable silence, both of them slightly breathless by everything that had transpired. The house was coming into view. Jack and Davie still hadn’t returned with Kuma.

“Do you think they’ll be okay?”

“Yeah,” Alfred assured.

“Shouldn’t have lost control of him,” Matthew went on, sounding a little sad. “I hope Kuma’s safe.”

“It’s not your fault. He needs time and training. Besides, he’s strong. He’ll be fine. Worry about yourself for now.”

“I’m okay. Once they put it in a cast and give me the good drugs, I won’t even feel it.”

In another few minutes, Alfred reached the front steps, and he gingerly set Matthew down. “I’m going to get the car keys real quick, stay put.”

Matthew glanced down at his screwed-up ankle and raised an eyebrow. “Where was I planning to go?”

Alfred rushed indoors, grabbed the keys, and took a moment to wash his face and collect himself. From the kitchen window, he saw Davie and Kuma being led back into the safety of their property. Jack had Davie in a comfortable trot. Everyone looked unhurt. At least that was something. Alfred took a couple of sugar cubes from a tin can and stepped out. Matthew had noticed the horses too. He was sitting straighter, watching them from the steps with laser-focused eyes.

“Just going to put these two in the stables, 'kay?” Jack called to them when he got closer.

“Wait,” Alfred said, waving. “C'mere a moment.”

“Al, what are you doing?” Matthew asked. The horses got closer, until Jack had them stop right by the door. Davie grunted again, as if to say, I’m too old for this shit.

Alfred laughed, opening his palm to offer his horse some sugar. “That’s for you, big boy,” he cooed, kissing Davie’s face.

Kuma whinnied in protest.

“You,” Alfred huffed, only half-joking. “Apologise to Matthew right now.”

Matthew snickered. “He’s a horse, Alfred. He didn’t know what he was doing.”

Kuma hung his head. Gently, he nudged Matthew’s cheek with his nose. Matthew and Jack both gasped. But Alfred just stood there and smirked. “See?” he said, crossing his arms. “Who’s the real horse whisperer now?”

“It’s okay.” Matthew stroked Kuma’s face. “Hey, it’s all right, buddy. You got spooked, it happens.” He kissed Kuma’s face. Kuma deserved kisses too. He gestured for Alfred, and Alfred obediently handed over the second sugar cube. Kuma ate it, of course, but nudged Matthew in apology a second time.

“It’s okay,” Matthew said again, grinning widely. “No hard feelings. I love you too. You’re a much better horse than Alfred anyway.”

“What?” Jack frowned.

“Matt hit his head, I think.” Alfred helped Matthew up as Jack led the horses into the stables. It took some effort to get him into the car, but Matthew seemed no worse for wear. In fact he waved to Kuma from the window. And Kuma watched him up until the point they vanished from each others’ view. Matthew sank back into the seat and smiled to himself. “I love that funny horse,” he said happily.

“Aw, that’s nice. You should tell him. Just, you know—don’t whisper it.”

Matthew punched Alfred’s shoulder.

xx.